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Marks Tey: Company helps bring clean drinking water to stricken victims of the Philippines hurricane

Rachael Gordon - Friday, November 15, 2013

EADT - Thursday 14th November 2013

A firm from north Essex is spearheading efforts to provide much-needed
aid to the victims of the hurricane that has decimated parts of the
Philippines.

Typhoon Haiyan - one of the most powerful storms ever recorded on
land - hit the coastal provinces of Leyte and Samar on Friday and is
reported to have affected up to 11 million people.

The aftermath of the disaster has left a huge
logistical challenge to government workers and aid agencies, who are
struggling to get the most basic resources to communities.

But Marks Tey-based company, Lifesaver Systems,
hopes it can help to bring clean drinking and washing water to some of
these stricken people.

Yesterday, 2,500 of its patented water
purification jerry cans were loaded onto a lorry destined for East
Midlands Airport on the first stage of a journey that will end up in
Southeast Asia.

The firm, which works with the rapid response arm
of the Department for International Development, has developed a simple
filtration system that can produce sterile water without the need for
power, chemicals or UV light.

According to chairman of the firm, Charles Clee, the
system has already proved effective in saving lives in other disaster
zones, such as the floods in Pakistan and the earthquake in Haiti.

“The most important thing about the jerry can is
that it gives people access to sterile water without having to put in
place a vast logistical operation,” he said.

“Water is heavy and bulky to move around but by
using these cans any fresh water can be made sterile. They are easy to
use and robust People just add water and pump it through the filter.

“In this 40 foot truck that we have loaded, there are enough jerry cans to produce 50,000 tonnes of sterile water”.

He added: “This initial batch is going out with
aid from Oxfam and we expect there will be demand for more cans in the
weeks to come.”